You found me
by Ever-as-shining
Summary: Bella welcomes her new friend Tessa to her home. The young witch instantly connects with Carlisle. Will they be able to bring the family back together, handle their own past and finally find something worth fighting for? Rated M for later chapters.
1. Where you lead

_**Hi everyone, this is my first story to be published. I hope you´ll leave me a note/ review as I am constantly trying to improve my writing! There will be about 10 chapters in the end. Let me know what you think, please!**_

Bella

I was quite excited to welcome a guest to our unusual home. Ever since me and Edward had moved into our own little place, I had never had company. Ok, expect my dad Charlie and the wolves. Don´t get me wrong, I love my family and the extended coven as well but I kinda miss socializing with others. I was looking forward to spending time with Tessa. I had met her about half a year ago when I visited my uncle with Nessie. Charlie´s only brother Jonathan lives about 30 miles outside of Dallas, therefore we had to pick the wintertime to travel there. Jonathan´s eyesight is very much limited due to an accident he had years ago. So staying at his house was safe, he would not have noticed our skin sparkling in the sun. And he was a loner which suited us as well. No visitors, no need to hide.

Tessa had called my uncle´s place the night we arrived to ask permission to cross his country with her horse. Jonathan did not mind and as a thank-you, Tessa stopped by the next night and brought us all some home-made cake. Surprisingly enough, I liked her right off the bat. She was a couple of years older than my "human" age, maybe in her mid-twenties. Her long black hair was tucked back in a high ponytail and there was a thin layer of dust all over her tanned skin from riding on the grid roads. Her face was covered in freckles and her eyes were of a deep blue. Her expression was thoroughly friendly and I liked her smile. I first noticed that she was different when we sat down at the front porch for a cup of coffee and the horse, although it was not tied up anywhere did not leave her side. Nessie was instantly crazy about the white animal and Tessa allowed her to pet him. With a hint of pride, she explained that the horse was called Samson and that he liked kids a lot. My by human measures 11-year-old daughter shyly placed her had on the horse´s nose and went very quiet all of a sudden. When I addressed her after a couple of seconds, Nessie turned around and looked at us with eyes wide open: "Mom, he talks."

Tessa went a shade paler but did not seem too surprised after all. She turned her head to face me, checked if Jonathan was out of hearing distance and offered me her hand with a smile on her face. "Ok, let´s start again: Tessa – witch-on-training and owner of a magic horse, nice to meet you. Over there we have Samson – unicorn." I was stunned. "Bella and Renesme – vampires", I introduced us hesitantly and quickly added: "Vegetarians!" "Very cool", Tessa answered without hesitation "Three kinds of mystical creatures in one place makes us a conference!"

I couldn´t help but join into her laughter and so did Nessie when Samson tickled her cheek with his soft nose. We talked the whole night through.

Tessa – very much like myself – did not often get the chance to talk openly with another person. I learned that she was a guide and remembered that Jacob had once mentioned the witch council know as the spiritual, political and diplomatic institution in the mystical world. Tessa herself was assigned to mentor young members of our special society on a volunteer basis. She explained that is was very important to her not to force herself upon anyone and for a minute, I wondered if it had not been nice for me to have had her around when I was changed. She was herself quite excited to hear about our family and the wolf-pack. My invitation for her to come visit us in Forks was spontaneous, I needed the rest to meet her. She was such a friendly, warm-hearted woman and she knew herself around the mystical society very well. Edward also saw the benefit for all parties concerned when I talked to him on the phone the next morning. Tessa could somewhat coach the young wolves, bring some new spirit to the Cullen house, Nessie had found a second oversized pet and I was on the way of making a real friend. Good times!

Tessa

Bella´s invitation to her home was a pleasant surprise. I had not travelled much during the last years but I felt it was time to move on and trusted that my scholars would do great. Working with a herd of flying deer had been fun and I even managed to befriend them with a bunch of dwarves but they weren´t very talkative. The shape-shifters Bella talked about instantly caught my interest. Surely I could give them a few tips. And learn about the vegetarian vampire lifestyle. I recalled having heard about a few covens that did not feed on humans and I liked what Bella told me about her family. Her father-in-law was even a doctor, kind of ironic so I found at first but I guess we all had our ways to deal with some past mistakes. And let´s face it: No one is perfect.

So I said yes. And set a date when I should arrive there. My new friend and I had talked on the phone many times in the next six weeks and sent emails back and forth. Still, I was nervous when I pulled into their yard on a hot day in June. Me in a house full of vampires. Would they all be like Bella? Or was there just a connection between me and her because we were both not born "different"?

At least I had found a job in Forks, even though it was only for the holiday season. Teaching languages at the local school sounded like an appropriate position for a new person in town. I liked teaching and people, so why not?

Their house was awesome. Actually, the first word to come to my mind was: Mansion. Huge. Light. Modern. Lots of wood and glass. Someone had done a good job gathering pennies in their stockings, that was for a fact. I walked up the stairs and wanted to knock but was beaten to it. The door flew open right before my knuckles touched the wooden frame.

Bella

Fortunately, Tessa had not changed her mind about coming. I had awaited her arrival from when I had returned from my trip to Jonathan´s. Emmett had made himself useful by building a shed for Samson and the other horse Tessa would bring right next to the garage. And I did not have to ask Alice twice for her help when it came to redecorating the large bedroom on the second floor. It used to be a storage room for everyone but had not been used anymore since Esme had left. Carlisle had instantly moved into Edward´s former bedroom and Rose and Emmett had taken the chance to expand their room. They tore out the wall between the main bedroom that used to be Emse and Carlisle´s and basically had the complete first floor to themselves.

Tessa would get to stay in a light flooded "2-room-apartment" as we called it because it was so huge. Alice and I had prepared a big comfy bed, cleaned the large windows and planted flowers into pots for the balcony. Alice had added a lot of inviting details like colourful tea-light holders, a dresser with a large mirror, wooden secretary and even her own leather couch – apparently an excuse to buy herself a new one - with two large pillows on it. Tessa´s bathroom was all shining white and Alice had supplied her with shower gel, shampoo and other girly stuff to last at least until Christmas. My sister-in-law was clearly in her element and for once, I had no intentions stopping her. Poor Jasper had to be convinced that he had nothing to fear since Tessa did have a heartbeat and her blood flew just like with any human, but it had not bothered me any. This was due to the fact that once Tessa became a witch, her genetic code had changed to make it easier for her to be accepted by as many species as possible. Jasper´s mind was at ease.

When Tessa finally arrived, the whole family had gathered in the kitchen to greet our guest. I hoped they would be nice. After hugging my friend tightly, I lead her through the hallway straight up to the kitchen. She was impressed with the house, no doubt. I was proud. Somehow, I was one of the ladies of the house, finally. "Oh my, Bella, this is a gorgeous place! Are you sure I´m not bothering anyone? I mean, I could get my own place in town if…" I know, I know it´s rude to interrupt, but I couldn´t stop myself: "Nonononono, you´re staying here. Anything else is out of question."

Tessa

Feeling Bella´s cold arms around my neck, I relaxed. She seemed excited to see me and I had probably subconsciously expected a dark and gloomy hole in the earth instead of a possible cover object of "House and Gardening". I followed Bella up a short stairway into an open kitchen that mound right into a hall-like living room. The furniture was dominated by light woods and white and silver. Very nice. When we entered the kitchen, I had to suppress a laughter.

12 piercing eyes were staring at me like I was Tina Turner or better Cleopatra. For once I was thankful for having already my fare share of vampire-experiences and therefore their supernatural attractiveness did not quite throw me into a depression.

I recognized Nessie who was sitting on the bench in front of the dining table. She jumped up, flew right into my arms and kissed me on the cheek. How adorable the little vampire girl was! Her dad got up and was the first who got introduced to me. Edward was tall and lean with examining eyes, in a way he matched the predator picture a human might have of vampires. Bella´s husband was actually really charismatic. With a firm and friendly handshake, he greeted me: "Hello Tessa! Nice to meet you finally!" and before I could reply, a short girl with dark hair and fair skin appeared behind him, squealing: "Yeah, we´ve heard so much about you! Bella was so excited about your visit and so are we all. I´m Alice by the way, and I see that we share the same taste in clothes. Are you up for a shopping trip tomorrow?" Her enthusiasm was overwhelming, I liked that.

Alice´s boyfriend Jasper was one of the present individuals I recognized from the pictures. I genuinely accepted his offer to get me a cup of coffee while I got introduced to Rosalie, a sheer beautiful blonde who gave up her prickish attitude after I complimented on her great hair. Woman are so easy to figure out. But I was glad I could quickly win her over.

Nothing was more against my nature than having to deal with people who disliked me for no reason. Emmett, Rosalie´s boyfriend, was quite a hunk. Bella had told me about his encounter with a bear in which he would have been killed if it had not been for Rosalie who saved him by bringing her home and let her adoptive father turn Emmett into a vampire.

Note to myself: Never get a bear worked up and then let someone beautiful save me. Might end up immortal and cold.

Bella

How easy this was! Everyone, even Rose, accepted Tessa! Alice had scheduled a girl´s afternoon at the mall, Jasper was keen on getting some input on his yet new life, Rose and Nessie were equally anxious about the horses and Emmett checked out Tessa´s car through the windows. "Your ride could use a makeover, Tessa", he exclaimed, more a question than a statement. "You bet," she laughed lightly, making her dark hair falling out of the ponytail, "the frame is only held together by the rest of the paint and rust."

Tessa was one of a kind and after having sat together over some more coffee, I decided it was time to give her a break from all the questions she had patiently answered. I casually addressed her and shot everyone a threatening look, just to make sure: "Tessa would surely like to see her room. Would everyone be alright if we met for a cocktail or two at the pool tonight?" Nodding from all sides, way to behave, family!

Edward put his arm around my shoulder and reminded me to introduce Tessa to Carlisle as well. God, how embarrassing. I had completely forgotten about my father-in-law. Maybe because he had recently not often left his study when he was at home. No one wanted to intrude his privacy but in a way, we missed him and his comforting presence a lot. When asking his permission to invite Tessa to live with us, Carlisle, like so often before, had agreed but otherwise not reacted at all. He did not seem to care about anything but work. It consumed him and he loved to help those in need but we needed him, too.

"Right, Tessa needs to meet Dr. Daddy yet", Alice spoke up once again, "he is in his study, getting ready for his shift. Some surgery that is a bit more complicated than a broken leg. No idea really."

"I can get your stuff from the rusty piece of art out there and bring it to your room meanwhile", Emmett offered. He was appropriately beside himself when Tessa tossed him the keys, giving my brother-in-law the starting shot: "Thanks a lot. There you go, pimp my ride, X!" Rose was by his side in the blink of an eye. "Oh, we can do much better than some MTV wannabe pimp", she snorted and they were gone.

I led the way to the first floor after I had shown Tessa the living room where she took a lot of interest in our family pictures and the piano. I was glad that there was just one more of us for her to meet, dealing with the whole bunch in one afternoon was a challenge alright.

Tessa

Puh, that was a welcome! One thing was for sure: Living with the Cullens would not be boring for one minute. Three entire hours had passed like minutes and when I dragged myself up the stairs behind Bella, I realized that a short nap was in sight and I hoped to be able to remember whose room was behind what door. Bella´s house tour included all the pretty details the place had to offer and she had one or the other background info to share with me. I particularly liked the paintings in the living room. They showed all the Cullen kids in oil and some were maps of the cities they were from. Very accurate. And somehow comforting that they were still drawn to their origins. Must be hard not to be able to just go home whenever you like. Painful to see all your friends and family die. I had that all ahead of me yet. No pleasant thought, so I pushed it aside.

Bella´s melodic voice interrupted my thoughts: "Alright, I´ll quickly introduce you to Carlisle and then you can check out your room and take a break from us!" She had noticed my eyes getting smaller and when we were in front of her father-in-law´s study, I hoped to get it over with as fast as possible. My friend knocked lightly and then stepped inside a room that looked more like a public library. Not only was it huge but also filled with books from floor to roof. Impressive! Just when I thought this collection must be the heart of the house, I got struck by lightning. Not literally, but it sure felt like it.

I was totally caught off guard when I first saw him. I have never – I mean NEVER – seen a man like him. This was by far the most gorgeous eye-candy I could picture. Dr. Cullen was tall, maybe 6 and a half feet, muscular, with thick blonde hair, and the most amazing topaz eyes. He half leaned, half sat on a huge wooden secretary that took up almost the whole width of the room. His aura was filled with masculinity and superiority.

Luckily, Bella did not turn around when she started speaking to the godlike creature in front of us. "Carlisle, Tessa is here, finally. I´m sorry I haven´t called you but we kinda lost track of time once we started talking." I quickly closed my mouth and swallowed hard as he walked up to us. The fit of his white button up shirt was tight enough around his chest to expose the pattern of his muscled arms, broad chest and back. He was picture perfect. MY thoughts involuntarily trailed off. How would it feel to touch his chest? Run my fingers across his very kissable lips?

The most beautiful smile spread across his flawless face when Bella turned to me and concluded with a whole lot of respect in her voice: "Tessa, meet my father-in-law, Dr. Carlisle Cullen." His smell seemed to lift me up into the air. Delicious. The mixture of musk, caramel and wild flowers was addictive. I was fighting with my brain, arguing that is was not a good idea to pass out right then and there. He took my hand, shook it slightly and spoke right to me in a low, enchanting voice without looking away from my eyes for only the shortest instant: "It´s a pleasure meeting you, Tessa. I hope you´ll like staying here with our family. If I can do anything for you, let me know!"

Some unruly voice in my head purred _You can do me, right here and now. _He was a doctor, so, suddenly passing out seemed to be an appropriate idea to get him to touch me.

I had to snap out of that blank state of mind instantly, and I knew it. I firmly pressed my eyes shut and replied hoping for my voice not to tremble: "Thank you, Dr. Cullen. It´s nice meeting you, too. You have a beautiful home and your book collection is fascinating." I took the chance to turn away from him, hiding my blushed cheeks, now facing the first bookshelf. Supressing the instinctive urge to press my lips to his was hard at that moment.

There was the his voice again: "Oh, you can come over and see if there is something that interests you any time. There are many in several foreign languages. You teach, right?" I found it rude not to look at him when he was talking to me, my mother had taught me better than that. So I gathered all my self-control and turned around to face him. I was hopelessly lost in his eyes but managed to mumble: "Yes, I teach. Thank you for the kind offer, I´m sure you´ll regret it one day though, I can get quite obsessed with reading." His eyes lit up, sparkling even brighter than before, if that was even possible. "I doubt I´ll regret it, Tessa, my kinds always find excuses to keep me company." _I´d keep you company 24/7 with all the benefits you can imagine. _My name sounded like music when it came from his perfect mouth.

I slightly shook my head in disapproval. This man was too good to be true. And he had practically offered to spend time with me. Pinch me - that´s a dream! Bella cut it: "That´s not true, Carlisle. You´re just to smart for us. We wouldn´t understand most of those books anyways. There is a lot of medical stuff. Tessa can surely use it for her studies though." A part of me wanted to punch her. "You study medicine?", Carlisle asked, true interest shining through. As he looked at me questioningly, bending his head to the side so that the muscles around his jaw tightened. Oh my God, this man was sex on legs. I was trying to think of anything asexual. Bread, leafs, male ballet dancers, crocodiles. (why crocodiles?...) Oh, I still had to answer: "In a way, yes. I attended vet school. Just finished. First aid for shapeshifters is my specialty." Yay, the first half decent answer. I improve.

"Wow", he laughed and my legs went weak, "what has a common surgeon like me to put up against such brilliant skills?" Did he just twinkle at me? He has. Twinkled. At me. Good lord. All of a sudden, the old Tessa is back. The independent woman who was not easily impressed, especially not by good looks. I stared back at him, straightened my shoulders and concluded: "Well, Dr. Cullen, I offer you a deal: You get the next person to fall off my horse if you bring me any mystical creature that needs treatment. Alright?" I was not willing to go down without a fight.


	2. Fearless

Carlisle

Bella could really have warned me. But it was my own fault after all. If I hadn´t jumped the gun and expected an old wrinkled witch with a huge mole on her nose, I wouldn´t have been completely puzzled when the two entered my study. Usually, I don´t take any interest in the kids´ friends, especially not the female ones. All nothing more than little girls to me. Besides, I had decided that dating which usually ended up in some kind of personal attachement unnecessarily complicated my life. Maybe the Volturi were right and love was not for vampires after all. I was fine with that.

But these diamond eyes got to me. Blue like the deepest sea and just as clear. I intensively tried to get a grip on what it was that particularly drew me towards her. Maybe it was the whole package. The way she was standing there in front of me, shyly trying to avoid my gaze, complimenting me on my book collection or the smile - warm and whole-hearted. Or that body. Her lips screamed to be kissed, licked and nibbled and the petrol empire-style blouse hugged her curves just tight enough to show that she was no girl – no, I had a woman in front of me who now absent-mindedly stretched to her tiptoes to read the titles of the books on the higher shelves. That position drew my attention to her long legs and well-trained butt. Wow, she must be working out a lot. Pitch black hair fell down from a loose ponytail, shining like velvet. I imagined burying my face in those long curls while caressing that sexy body of hers. A little devil appeared on my left shoulder, shouting in my ear: _Come on, old Carlisle, you just have to take her. Wouldn´t it be nice to bend her right over your desk and make her yours? _The angel on the right sang: _No Carlisle, she is Bella´s friend. Don´t look at her like she was a piece of meat. You are a gentleman! _Hearing that she had attended vet school made my heart jump. Same interests! Chance to spend time with her! Most likely alone time since no one else cares for medicine in this house! I really wanted to get to know her better. Maybe it was just me being desperate. Note to myself: Get rid of pressure before leaving for work.

The deal Tessa offered sounded fair. She looked adorable as she faced me all self-assured and ready to strike if necessary. Her spirit was special to me. I couldn´t remember when I had been dazzled by a woman that way. It felt good though I pressured myself to see that I most likely had no chance with her anyways. I was single, that was the way it should be but my wildly spinning thoughts confused me. Tessa was doing her job here and surely the last thing she was looking for was a relationship. I wanted to believe that it was better not to get attached to her in first place. She would be gone just as quickly as she had appeared.

My own fault that I offered her my hand for a high five to seal the patient-trading deal. When our fingers touched, it felt like a shot of electricity. Her hand was warm and so soft and it was just a second too late that I noticed Bella staring caused by the fact that neither me nor Tessa had let go of each other´s hand yet. "Ok then", I rushed to press the words out, "I´ll head into town." Bella looked at me with bewildered eyes at first but then seemed to be back to normal:

"Aren´t you going to join us for a drink at the pool tonight? We wanted to celebrate Tessa´s arrival. With the whole family, of course." My daughter-in-law clearly aimed at the fact that I was not supposed to spoil her party and thank God, I came up with an acceptable answer: "I hope I can make it home at a decent time. My shift is over at 10 tonight but you know how it goes, Bella. I´ll be here as quickly as possible." She nodded in defeat, pulling Tessa after her. "Bye", I almost whispered and was strangely happy when Tessa turned around quickly and raised her hand to wave goodbye. They were gone as quickly as they had shown up. I closed my eyes to worship the rest of her scent that was still lingering in my study. So much for not getting attached.

Bella

I must be dreaming. This was strange. After having lead Tessa to her room, I quickly ran downstairs, frantically searching for my husband. "What is it, love?", Edward asked, "Are you not satisfied with us? We did our best not to scare Tessa away." I laughed loudly at the thought. "You missed something really, really different", I gave back, attempting to sound mysteriously. "And what was that?", Alice demanded impatiently, "Tell us!"

I looked over her shoulder to watch Carlisle´s black Mercedes leave the driveway before I blurted out: "He flirted with her! Like in really flirting! Can you believe it?" It was impossible to hide my excitement. Alice was first to find words: "Really? That sure is different, Bella. What happened?" An amused smile played around Edward´s fine mouth. "I think you watch too much TV, Bells. Don´t make Carlisle and Tessa the subjects of your fairytale- fantasies."

I was offended, but decided to deal with his attitude once I had answered Alice´s question: "Well", I started, "They looked at each other like thunderstruck rabbits and he offered her to come over to check out the book whenever she likes and stuff and by the sounds of it, she liked that idea." I couldn´t help but grin. "Oh my", Alice screamed, "that sounds great! Finally someone tries to get him out of his shell!" "Instead of only trying to get into his pants, you mean?", Edward teased us, obviously not taking my observations seriously. Alice and I both glowered at him and he raised his white flag soon after: "Alright, ladies, if it was true, it is good, right? And if not, you promise me not to make a big fuss about it. Fine?"

Tessa

Stretching my legs out on my new bed, my mind was constantly with Carlisle. Something I could not specify drew to towards him. I tried to remember all the details Bella had told me about him in her emails. He used to be married but his wife left him because they had drifted apart and she met someone else in Europe. That must have been about 10 years ago. Geez, what woman would ever be stupid enough to leave a man with his qualities? He was stunning, smart, funny and his smell… Aww. I hated to admit it, but I was smitten. And felt more than stupid. I mean, hello??? He was my host and my friend´s father-in-law and way out of my league. Besides, my previous relationship had been a desaster. I was being ridiculous. This had to stop. Now. Plus it hadn´t been too long ago that someone who used to mean a lot to me had made quite a clear statement about my girlfriend-qualities. Useless, stupid, not presentable, not worth being treated respectfully. It had taken me a while to get over those insults and regain at least some of my confidence but I still wasn´t completely convinced that I had every right to like myself and was worth being loved after all. Taking into consideration that Carlisle was so much more than that ex-boyfriend of mine, how could Bella´s father-in-law possibly take interest in me if even my ex said that my body was only there to be used and not to be cherished? There was no way. Period.

The only action I would allow myself was to find out what it was that caused the hint of sadness in his eyes. I had not recognized it right away, but the second Carlisle looked right into my eyes when our hands touched, it became clear. There was something deep inside, hidden under the perfect looks and noble behaviour that was desperately seeking to be discovered and to be dealt with instead of being blocked out. No need to jump to conclusions though. I would wait and see and do nothing – as in "not a thing" – before I could be positive that what I had seen was real and not the sick images my mind made up to give me an excuse to linger around Dr. Cullen.

I quickly jumped up, attached my iPod station to the power and turned the volume of J-Lo´s "I´m real" up to a point that I still found reasonable. I swung the large window open and worshiped the sun warming my face. After having put all my clothes into the drawer and bath supplies into the bathroom, I took a shower. I chose a bloomy smelling shower gel and apricot shampoo. The towels Alice and Bella had provided for me where huge and felt soft against my skin. I looked at myself in the mirror. My spirits dropped. I had always been self conscious about my body. Too much curves, not enough boobs and the legs could be longer. Not mentioning the way too big arse. I sighed.

The knocking on the door kindly interrupted my critical thoughts.

"Come in", I shouted over the music, not even thinking about still standing here in nothing but a towel. Bella´s head peaked through the door, followed by Alice. They were awesome. "We don´t want to bother you, really not. But we wanted to check if everything was alright." Bella was visibly unsure. I motioned them both to come in and we all sat down on the large bed. "Never consider not coming to talk to me when you feel like it, ok? I´m just as excited about your company than you are most likely about having me here! And I´m not in a hotel, I´m living here on your kind invitation. And I´m willing – no, I´m expecting to take over some household chores. What can I do?"

Alice sighed in relief. "When Bella told me about you and how nice of a person you were, I had my doubts at first. But now you´re here…" The pixie girl weighed a decision, I could tell but finally made up her mind and threw her arms around me: "I´m positive Bella was even understating! I always wanted a big sister." "Me too!" I hadn´t even noticed Rosalie coming in. "Can Emmett come in, too?" "Sure", I told her and a minute later, we were all gathering up in my room. Bella, Edward, Alice, Jasper, Rose, Emmett and me. It felt so right to have them around. Jasper had a question that really made me swallow down some emotion. "What is it about you that makes everyone feel like they can tell you everything and also ask you everything?"

"I don´t know Jasper, I guess that is up to you to feel and decide. You just have to know that my door is always open and what is said in private will stay there. No matter who or what it is. That is the reason why I have made myself a black spot on Edward´s mind map and will certainly do the same for everyone who adresses with with a concern. Got that?", I asked in a severe tone, I needed to be sure they understood my motives. Edward nodded silently whereas Bella spoke up: "Alright, I see your point. And thanks for coming and being there for us." Rosalie´s high pitch laughter filled the room suddenly: "Look at us, you guys! We are pathetic. Crowding poor Tessa in her room and not even leave her alone to get dressed for her own welcome-party! Sorry…" I joined her laughter and was amazed how easily they had brightened my mood.

"No need to worry, everyone. Let´s see: Alice, would you and Bella pick me something to wear? Rose, can you help me with my hair? Emmett, get your butt working on my ride! Edward, Jasper, how far are the preparations for my big party???" Voices picked up an increased speed and volume as everyone strolled out of my room, giving me hugs, high-fives or simply a smile. I was content.

Bella

Tessa´s talent to make everyone feel positive about themselves and their abilities was striking. Alice and I did our best with her outfit. We found she only deserved the best. I clearly felt that she had the power to bring this family back together. It had been ages since we had spent time in one room – all of us – and just talk and laugh freely. She had already done a miracle. This could only get better. I had so much trust in her.

Alice fished a very classy yet up-to-date blouse from Tessa´s drawer. It was bright red, with half long sleeves, buttons at the front, a straight collar and a big rhinestone application in the shape of a rainbow. I chose a dark blue jeans that sat just a tiny bit lower on her waist than the one she wore that afternoon and decided to lend her my favorite "Ed Hardy"- belt. As for footwear, Rose pointed out that we all had several different colored pairs of Crogs and since it was a pool-party, us girls were all going to wear them. Tessa had 5 pairs altogether, red ones amongst her collection, thank goodness. We all wore different sizes, but Rose and Tessa only differed by a half. Funny, how small things like that could make us giggle and seemed to matter again.

Rose created a very pretty updo with Tessa´s incredibly voluminous black hair, and an hour later, four excitedly laughing chicks were squeezed into Alice´s bathroom to put on their makeup together. We all had an amazing time. Our new family member – that´s what we agreed on calling Tessa instead of "guest" from now on – was quickly filled in on the expected guests. There would be the wolves, my dad and his girlfriend Sue, of course our family and some folks from the reserve who knew about us. Altogether, we expected about 20 people. Decent size party. Faster than I thought, I heard Edward call for us from downstairs. "Oh dear, it´s past 8:30 already! We gotta head outside", Rose shouted over the music and we all took one last look into Alice´s huge mirror. Result: fine.

"Tessa, you look great!", Alice burst out and with a gaze in my direction added: "No one will be able to resist you tonight!"

Tessa

Getting ready with the girls was the most fun I have had for a long time. No one judged me on being girly and caring about nothing but clothes, hair and makeup for a while. This was such a contrast to my old life! Plus I was happily excited to meet the wolf pack.

When we all arrived at the poolside, I was out of words! The guys had done a marvellous job with the decorations. Countless torches framed the way from the parking area to the house and put a nice spotlight on the pool itself. They had gathered some benches and tables that were already cowded with guests. Emmett admitted with a grin that they had copied some songs from my iPod to their laptop which was great and were six wolves altogether, one even a girl by the name of Leah. She was the first one to be courageous enough to approach me after I got introduced to Bella´s dad and stepmother. Chief Swan welcomed me to Forks, offering to get me a map and handed me a card with his number so I could call in case I got lost or had a question. Bella was somewhat embarassed but I found the gesture sweet and thoughtful. Sue handed me a large plate with many different types of fingerfood, making a careful statement about her and me being the only "eaters". She put her hand on my shoulder and squeezed it gently.

How positive everyone was about my appearance! Never would I have expected that! Even more surprising were the wolves. Leah stood behind me and tipped her index finger to my shoulder, smiling timidly when I turned around to her. "Hello", she said quietly, "my name is Leah. My brothers have chosen me to deliver our most genuine welcome in appreciation of your visit and dedication of your time. We are looking forward to learn from you and introduce you to our culture if this is what you would like." She had surely learned the text by heart and I was touched by her effort. "Thank you very much, Leah!", I answered, smiling straight into her eyes to comfort her and waved over her shoulder to the rest of the pack: "Thanks to all of you, too! Come on over, please! I´m glad you all came tonight!"

Alice

It did not take a minute until Tessa was surrounded by the wolves and though they still weren´t my best friends, they seemed at ease with being on our property. Our new family member did not seem to get tired of answering questions, telling people about her life and how her and Bella met and her new life in Forks.

I overheard her lean towards little Leah when she sat down on the bench right next to her. Tessa lowered her voice: "Give me a call whenever you like, Leah. I´ll see what I can do for you. I can feel your pain." Not really believing my own eyes, I saw Leah nod with her tiny mouth hung open and press out a short "Thank you. I will call you soon. You are a good soul, Tessa – guide." Unreal but true, Tessa had won the usually quiet and constantly angry Leah over in just a matter of hours. Way to go!

Even Jacob´s father, sitting in his wheelchair, watching the party guests from the side, dropped his usual attitude towards anyone who was different from his tribe, when he met our witch. It had to be admitted that – if I liked it or not – Billy Black had a special connection to the spirits and his word counted a lot in our society. "Ms. Wilkinson, I have heard many good things about you. Your reputation is impressive. My dear friend, Professor Anderson, has advised me to trust your senses and feelings for your surroundings. You are here for a very special reason. And to stay as well." Tessa nodded and I wondered how she could not be intimidated by the reserved Indian. "I agree with you, Mr. Black. There are many absolutely unique and amiable individuals who I would love to help prepare for their endeavours. As for my own path, I will keep my eyes open", she smiled endearingly.

Here is where it got strange: Black suddenly fell into a thundering laughter. "You are on the wrong track, Ms. Wilkinson. You are here to find something you have been looking for for a long time. Ends will eventually meet. We are all facing changes to the better."

Tessa´s smile changed to a respectful seriousness as she stated: "Thank you for the information. It puts my mind to ease. I will keep my eyes open." The man in the wheelchair put his hand on Tessa´s forearm, stating: "Your eyes are secondary, gifted one. It´s all in your heart."


	3. I m just more than you can see

Alice

I kept wondering around our bedroom like a hungry tiger. Jasper had left for a hunt, not before warning me not to interrupt anything. Good lord, quarter after 4 in the morning! What were they doing in there? Ah, actually, I did not quite literally want to know. Bella lingered on the bed. "You know what?", she asked into the dark, "In a way I'm ashamed of us, Alice." "I know", I agreed calmly, but when we heard Tessa's bedroom door open and close, we univocally agreed: "But it's so darn exciting!" When we almost fell over each other on the hallway, I was most intimidated when Tessa materialized right in front of us, leaning on her own doorframe. Bella crashed into my back as I stopped appruptly.

The look on Tessa's face was somewhere between deep relaxation, sleepiness and also a hint of annoyance. Last aimed doubtlessly at me and Bella. "Alright", she yawned, "Let's get this over with quickly. I knew you'd be there and I am dead on my feet." "Sorry", Bella mumbled behind me, "Good night Tessa. Sleep tight. We won't intrude your privacy." "Oh Bella", our target of interest sighed deeply, "I understand your excitement. Here is the deal: We just talked. Yes, I do like Carlisle. Yes, we do have a lot in common and plenty of stuff to talk about. Yes, he is a perfect gentleman. And also, yes, my eyesight is perfectly fine and I realize that…" Tessa paused for a second, motioning us to come closer and formed the words on her lips without making a sound _smoking´ hot_. We both laughed, hugged her tightly and made our way back to Jasper's and my room. Bella closed the door behind us and squealed: "Oh my, she was wearing his sweater! He must have given it to her, maybe she's been freezing." "Yes", I panted, "And Carlisle must have at least put his arms around her to carry her up into his study. That is so romantic!" Aawww. We spent the rest of the night with the about one-hundredth rerun of the 1st season of "Gossip Girl". How proper.

Tessa

There was a large white box sitting in front of my room the next morning. I carefully picked it up and opened in, sitting on my bed. I was out of words. Not only did the box contain a hand-written letter on expensive paper, I also found a single pink rose that smelled divine. Unfolding the letter with trembling fingers, his exquisite handwriting made me gasp in delight even before I read the actual message. It said:

_Dear Tessa, _

_I hope you had a pleasant dream last night._

_Maybe you will feel like continuing our conversation once I get back from work._

_I would be more than honoured._

_Be sure that I will be there in time tonight – _

_How could I ever miss one single minute with you?_

_The thought of your smile brightens my day._

_Carlisle_

_PS: The sweater is yours. It will keep you warm on my behalf. _

His words went from my brain right into my heart. I wanted to laugh and cry, all at once. I was insanely happy. How a man like him could possibly be interested in a woman like me was a miracle. I tried in vain not to get my hopes up, because deep inside I feared that it was only something like a crush that would fade away soon. But I still had to try! I could impossibly not try! Carlisle was so much more than I had ever dreamt of. I was more into him by the minute, I could feel myself falling. It was irrevocably and scary.

Swimming with Rosalie was really relaxing. None of us had any competitive thoughts in mind, we just crossed the pool side by side, slow enough to be able to talk. My muscles got tired after about two hours and we decided it was time to freshen up. "I enjoyed talking to you, Tessa", Rose let me know, "I hope we can keep that up. You are so much less judgemental than everyone else." "Sure", I gave back with a smile, "Anytime you like." There was more about the stunning blonde than met the eye, she was actually a thoughtful person who desperately tried to hide the emotional pain she was in. All things considered, I could relate to that situation.

When I opened the door to my large room, the irresistible, manly smell that hit me made me smile. Carlisle's sweater sat on my bed, neatly folded as if it were made from pure gold. It was just as valuable to me. I stepped into the shower and worshipped the fresh, bloomy smell of the foam that soon covered my naked body. The hot water relaxed my muscles and my thoughts subconsciously wandered back to the past night. I had never experienced a tension like that before. Whether is was the almost unbearable desire to touch him when he had positioned himself above me to tickle me or the warming comfort and safety his arms provided when I cuddled up to his chest, I did not know what had gotten my heart into the bigger trouble. My stomach twisted when I closed my eyes and saw him there, right in front of me. Daydreaming about not being alone in the shower right then came to a fast end when I realized that my skin was getting wrinkly already.

The black aerobic pants of mine sat really low on the waist and were so comfy, I always hated to take them off. On top, I decided on a blue long-sleeved shirt with a discreet v-neck. This used to be one of my dance-practice outfits and I felt self-assured in it. Exactly what I needed since I was up to taking a look at Carlisle's book collection. Once I let my fingers slide over the various hardbacks, I instantly felt closer to him. The smell of the paper mixed with his own unique scent relaxed me right away. I opened the large window behind his desk and positioned myself on the large leather couch as soon as I had picked my entertainment for the afternoon. But before I would start rereading "The time traveller's wife", I wanted to draw a little sketch of the study and mark the most important bookshelves. Those were the ones that held the oldest editions or the ones I considered most valuable. The draft marked a good start to my archive project, I was convinced that all else would fall in place.

The couch was just as inviting as I remembered it, although the most important part of the image in my mind was missing. Dr. Carlisle Cullen. I knew, I shouldn't be missing him at all. But I did. The thought of how he would react to my presence after last night made me shiver. What if he regretted having spent time with me and what would I say in case he told me inviting me here was a mistake? I could already see all my dreams shatter in the blink on an eye. I set the book aside and curled up in a tight ball. My mind drifted off and I felt very lonely all of a sudden. Where were the days when I could run to my mother and get her advise on problems like the one I was facing at that moment? If there have been times when I asked myself the question whether I had made the right choice by trading my human life for witchcraft, the afternoon on the sofa in Carlisle's office were surely amongst them. I wanted to get up and call my friend Angel, but was too exhausted.

Bella

Wow, it had been a long day. Taking Nessie to her friend's place in town always tended to become adventurous when Alexandra's mother was around. Not that I didn't like Peggy Cason at all, I was just not fond of her constant gossiping about everything and anything. She would have put Perez Hilton to shame. Of course, Peggy had already heard about Tessa's arrival and wanted to know everything about the young woman who lived with my family. My answers were thoroughly neutral and I tried not to give her any details about my friend that the nosy redhead could spin a wild story around. When the phone in my pocket rang, I was more than happy to hear dad's voice. "I'm terribly sorry, Peggy", I lied convincingly after having hung up, "but I really need to get going. Dad's got the flu and I have to fetch some pills from the pharmacy."

I noticed Carlisle's black car in front of me as soon as I turned into the grid road that lead from the freeway to our home in the woods. He was off early and I was wondering if that had something to do with Tessa… _No, no, no, Bella._ I was determined not to get carried away with this. I would leave them alone and respect their privacy, that much I had to admit, Edward was right about. "Hey Bells", my father-in-law greeted me in obviously good spirits, "how has your day been?" "Fine, except of some Peggy Cason-moments", I grinned, knowing that Carlisle was fully aware of my attitude towards the Forks gossip queen. "Oh dear", he smiled back as we approached the house together, "I bet she has found a new target in poor Tessa…" My snoopiness got the better of me and my reply sounded strangely sheepish: "Oh, I'm not too worried about that, Carlisle, I bet in case of any inappropriate approach, you would be right there to defend POOR Tessa!" Half expecting a deadly look or grumpy answer, I was surprised when my father-in-law stated matter-of-factly with a sincere look on his face: "You're right, Bella, I'd be there." I could not positively tell if Carlisle had answered my comment or talked to himself, he seemed lost in thoughts. Pulling back his shoulders, he sucked in some air. Aware that he could not possibly be in pain, I still got a little worried: "What's with your back, Carlisle?" "Ah, not much", he gave back, "I think I'm something like sore from work. There was an accident right in front of the hospital and I helped Charlie rescuing some people through the damaged roof of the stupid thing because it had fallen to the side." "Take it slow then for the rest of the day then", I recommended and began to spread my new clothes on the kitchen table for Alice to check out as soon as she got home. "I will", Carlisle replied quickly, "I'm in my office in case you need me."


	4. Taking chances

Carlisle

The second I entered the study and saw her, I swear my usually quiet heart sent out a solid beat. The sight was unforgettable. Tessa lay on my large sofa, sleeping, curled up in a tight ball. Her breathtaking hair covered parts of the face including those full lips that I wanted to kiss so badly. The way her back was bent, I had a perfect view on her bare skin, the hen of the shirt barely covering her kidney area. Hello, angel and devil… _Carlisle, you need to put a blanket over her, she will catch a cold or worse a nephritis… Oh, shut up, you stupid! Carlisle, what you really need to do is find out if her skin is really as soft and kissable as it looks. As if she could resist you! An empty house – that's the chance!…_

Pushing the voices aside, I quietly walked over, grabbed the first available set of papers from my desk as an excuse in case she woke up and sat down right next to the sleeping beauty. Pretending to read did not seem that important anymore once her smell got into my nose. Tessa's chest moved rhythmically under her shirt and I hoped she's sleep for hours. She was so beautiful, I still can't find words to express it. I let one finger brush over the black streaks, lightly, carefully not to disturb her rest. It felt like silk and I couldn't help but position my hand next to her neck so that the long hair would cover my pale skin. I was afraid of her reaction once she would be awake again, but on the other hand, I was sure I'd have enough time to remove my hand before she would notice it. Good lord, women basically kept throwing themselves at me and here I was, nervous like a school boy, trying to capture the moment I got to touch my crush's hair… I didn't know myself any more.

Suddenly, Tessa's heartbeat accelerated and she began to move in her sleep. This was for sure not a pleasant dream. She twitched and pulled her knees even tighter to her chest than before as if she wanted to hide her face. The noises she made were incoherent and I couldn't make sense of the word fragments for a while. I was torn. Waking her from her nightmare would have revealed my secret observation but I simply couldn't watch her suffer for another second and right when I moved my hand to place it on her shoulder, she said my name. The next time it sounded more like a plea, and there it was again. It was a plain reaction of my body, nothing intentional in the movement when I knelt down in front of the sofa, right beside her head.

I ran my fingers into her hair, softly caressing her hot cheek with my finger and whispered: "I'm here, Tessa. You'll be fine. I'm here. It's just a dream…" She slowly opened her dazzling blue eyes and seemed to relax right away. I was glad I hadn't startled her although it obviously took her a moment to drift back into reality, out of the nightmarish visions she had had in her sleep. Tessa's whole body began to tremble from the horrible visions or maybe it was the relief of being safe. I felt so sorry for the poor darling. She watched me with eyes wide open and then consciously said it again: "Carlisle…" My voice trembled as I replied but I didn't care: "I'm here, Tessa. Here with you. Ssshhh…" When she slowly closed her eyes again and trustfully leaned her face into my large hand, I had to work up all my strength not to crash her to my chest. Never in my entire existence had someone ever made me feel that strong. If there had been any way to make the world stop turning right then, I would have given my all.

Tessa just about jumped up after a while, blushing deep red as she looked at me, mumbling: "Oh my God, I must have fallen asleep. I wanted to read and then there was this stupid nightmare and I wanted to change before you get back… and …" She shook her head in disbelief and covered her face with her hands. "Hey, hey", I addressed her with a smile, "You know, chasing away bad dreams is part of the cures I offer for only very important people. And you look so pretty just the way you are." Tessa swiftly threw her hair back and smiled down at me, still crouching in front of her. "Thank you", she replied in a really sweet voice, "And besides, that's something different for a change. The last guy who went on his knees in front of me had just dropped his wallet…"

Tessa

How I ever managed to pull off a joke in this downright embarrassing situation was miraculous. Our laughter gave me the chance to think for a moment. It really had been a bad dream – like so often. But for the first time, the evil ghosts who followed and chased me did not succeed in the end. In my dream, Carlisle had appeared in the misty, dark wood right in front of me surrounded by bright light and he had saved me. He was strong enough to break through my visions. Or was it just my overruling feelings for a man I had only known for a few days that had made me picture his as my shining knight?

When I woke up, he was there with me. His eyes filled with concern, he had comforted me with his gentle touch. Having him so close to me felt wonderful.

Carlisle gracefully got up, sat down on the sofa right next to me and much to my surprise, put his cool arm around my shoulder. Thankful that I was still a bit dizzy from sleeping, I did not have any second thoughts about resting my head on his shoulder. His melodic deep voice broke the silence after a short while: "Feeling better now?" "Yes, I'm fine.", I replied and hoped to sound convincing. What could possibly make me feel better than his arm around me, his incomparable smell and the words, not much more than a whisper: "If you want to talk about what haunts you, I'm always there for you."

"Thank you, Carlisle. I appreciate it. But I couldn't even tell you exactly what it is. The visions change. The only thing that remains the same is the ghosts chasing me. And that I am always all by myself."

"I know that kind of dreams, Tessa", he sighed and rested his head on top of my own and a pleasant electric shot went down my spine, "From when I just got bitten. I've struggled with what I had become for the longest time. And yes, the loneliness is hard to bear. Realizing that everyone who has ever been important to you will have to leave sooner or later." I nodded silently, trying to fight back the tears. Carlisle softly rubbed his thumb over my forearm in little circles when he asked: "Who do you miss most?" "My parents and my little sister", I sobbed wholeheartedly. His support and true concern helped me speak out what had been weighing on my heart for the first time ever. "How were they?", Carlisle wanted to know and handed my a tissue. Wiping the tears away, I explained that my dad had been a very strong, reliable man who had taught us to stand up for ourselves without putting others down. Empathy and compassion I had surely inherited from my mother. She always had an open ear for us kids and was helping selflessly or not at all. "And my sister", I added with a smile, "God had really smiled on her. I grant her all her achievements. She has always been better than me, inside and out." Carlisle chuckled, and disagreed with me: "That sure is hard to believe."

Before I had the chance to ask what he meant, the flawless vampire pulled his arm back and loudly grinded his teeth, reacting to his own move. He pulled his eyebrows together and flared his nostrils. I was alarmed. "What's wrong?", I demanded in a serious tone, closely examining his expression. A crooked smile played around his perfect lips as he answered: "Oh, I'm just a little sore. Had to carry 5 adults at once out of a burning bus today. The accident happened right at the hospital and everyone was so busy, I took the chance to push the door open and rescue the helpless passengers."

Reality check: Not only did Dr. Cullen dry my tears and make me smile, he also had just saved 5 people by getting them out of a burning bus. I did not make him a shining knight, that was exactly what he was!

"Wow", I said and turned my head to look at him, "You are such a hero! I'm impressed!" Carlisle straightened his shoulders and the hint of pride in his eyes was undeniable. I decided that so much courage had to be rewarded somehow. "Will your bosses at least get you something? Like a medal of honour or a bottle of wine or so?", I had to laugh about the given options myself. "No, I don't think so", Carlisle grinned sheepishly. I knew that look and felt my muscles tense right where our arms were still touching, ready to get away in the likely case of another tickle-attack. He eyed me suspiciously and then pouted, pretending to be suffering: "This is so unfair, Tessa. I got hurt while rescuing the helpless and you still assume I might have bad intentions?" Carlisle bend his head and gave me the cutest puppy-look I had ever seen. Luckily enough, he did not have the slightest clue about how naughty my intention were when I saw the muscles of his well trained chest play underneath his tight polo shirt. Was it possible to die from a frantically beating heart? I was time to react.

I pushed myself up to sit on the back of the couch right behind the gorgeous life-saver and started kneading his shoulders with both my hands. "I guess", I said matter-of-factly, "I might not be in the position to give you a medal of honour, but I can sure think of a way to relax your sore muscles." Somehow I expected him to stop me but nothing that would have revealed a possible discomfort of his happened. His rock-hard muscles were difficult to move but I must have gotten it right. Carlisle let his chin sink to his chest and let me proceed with my massage. His quiet moan as I emphasized the pressure was the most erotic thing I had ever heard. "Mmmhh, that's so much better than any medal", he groaned and I felt the moisture gather in my hot centre. The urge to slip my fingers underneath his shirt to feel his bare skin was hard to resist but I tried to concentrate on his sore shoulders. I let my fingers slowly trace down his spine and Carlisle made a sound of clear disagreement when I withdrew my hands from his back. "Don't stop", he whispered urgently, his voice low and husky, "That feels so good." There was no need to tell me twice. I kept moving my hands over his whole back, kneading, rubbing, scratching, all for the one reason: I wanted him to enjoy the attention. Carlisle did not say a word, but the little noises he made gave him away. Hearing him react to my touch like that was pure pleasure. I was so happy, I could have cried. The man of my dreams worshipped my presence and I showed me his appreciation. After a long while of working through his muscles, my fingers and wrists got tired. I placed them on his shoulders and lowered my face towards his neck, blowing my warm breath onto the sore parts of his back. Carlisle instantly began to shiver and slowly placed one of his hands on top of mine that sat on his shoulder. When he turned his head to look at me, his gaze was so intense, I thought my legs would go weak right away. It was obvious that we were both struggling with our emotions. I couldn't help but raise my free hand and carefully let it brush over his thick light blonde hair. He lightly squeezed my other hand and as if directed by invisible strings, our fingers entwined. Carlisle pulled my hand to his chest, causing me to slide down the back of the sofa into the tight space between the leather and his broad back. We both couldn't suppress a reaction to the sudden closeness. I took in a deep breath whereas he simply smiled at me with warm and dazzling eyes. My head started spinning but when I felt Carlisle's cool forehead and nose against mine, everything was calm. I have no idea how long we sat there with closed eyes, worshipping the moment, before he whispered: "I can't remember the last time I've ever felt so good." "Same here", I murmured, unwilling to move away from his unbelievable body. "You will never have to be alone anymore, Tess. I promise."

Carlisle

Could someone please pinch me? I needed to know whether this was really happening. Tessa slit behind me, her long legs along the sides of my aroused body. She put her hands on my shoulders and gently pulled me back so that could rest my head on her shoulder. Her presence meant so much to me. I could feel Tessa's overwhelming warmth all around me when I pulled her arm over my shoulder to place her hand on the spot where my heart used to beat centuries ago. Waves of pure pleasure swept through my entire body, leaving me incapable of a straight thought. All I had left to do was to close me eyes and surrender to the emotions that the tempting witch had awakened deep inside of me. I refused to waste only one of the precious seconds I felt her so close to me by worrying. Despite the fact that I was used to touching humans, they had never been able to overcome the natural coolness of my skin. But Tessa's caressing embrace let her heat spread from where we touched right into the very core of my existence. Needless to mention, there was no chance for me not to react to feeling her against my back. I quietly thanked God above that our current position did not allow me to touch her the way my body ached to. Would I ever be strong enough to let go off her again?

Tessa's reluctance slowly disappeared when I slightly turned my head, and leaned towards her in order to touch my forehead and nose to hers. Even a quick, tiny little kiss would made me come right then and there. After a long, pleasant while, I slightly rubbed the tip of my nose over hers which made her chuckle. "I'm wondering", I mused, trying to catch as much of her exquisite scent as possible, "Would it be possible to get a prescription for my daily dose of you?" Tessa laughed lightly and we both opened our eyes at once. It would have been my natural reaction to pull away from her because I was usually very keen of my personal space but everything seemed to be different. The blue was shining like liquid diamonds and I instantly fell in love with the tiny freckles that I had not noticed before. "Mmhh", Tessa answered with a beautiful smile, "Since you are a doctor, you can get yourself whatever you want from the almost unlimited catalogue of medications. But if you like to have me around – all you have to do is ask. That is a very exclusive offer, Dr. Cullen!" I guessed what she was getting at and decided to bring it up myself: "Great", I stated, and planted a very soft kiss on the back of her hand that was still in mine, "You know, I have not let myself get his close to anyone for years. I can't believe I'm practically begging you stay around. If you feel like slapping me, go ahead." My head sank down, I was really self-conscious all of a sudden. Much to my surprise, I felt her fingers comb through my hair ever as lightly. I wanted her to touch me for the rest of my days, touch me everywhere and let me make her happy in return. I let out a quiet moan and pressed myself even closer to her. This was too good to be spoiled by my doubts, after all – she would not be there if she did not want to. My limbs went numb under her touch and every little part of my body screamed for her.

Tessa's voice was flooded with emotion: "Carlisle, I swear, I enjoyed every minute that I spent with you. I'm just as much as you not whatsoever used to giving up my defence but…" She paused and I looked up searching for her eyes. When I saw the how hard she tried to find the right words and noticed a hint of care, maybe longing, I knew that what she said was true: "… but I'm sure it's worth it."

This was beyond sweet and instead of an outspoken answer, I ran my nose along her jaw line and rested my head on her shoulder, exposing my most vulnerable spot. Showing her my deep trust was an essential urge all of a sudden and of course, the beauty that made me burn with desire got the message right away. "You are wonderful", she whispered, her breath tickling my neck. I moaned deeply when Tessa's hot lips touched the bite mark that I usually tried to hide from the rest of the world. Her caressing kiss made me see sparkling stars of all colours and contours. I had to admit that it was difficult to suppress the physical reaction to her touch and I imagined her running her hands over my chest from behind, down to my belly button and finally to the throbbing erection. But this was just a dream! And seriously, laying here in her arms was already more that I could ask for. "Do you know what I really feel like doing?", my personal wonder asked in a tone that almost made me loose control.

The sound of footsteps in front of the study suddenly interrupted our magic moment. _Knock- Knock. _"Nosy bunch", I hissed at the opening door and quickly moved to sit side-to-side with my dearest witch who had already opened her book and threw the papers I initially wanted to read into my lap.


	5. Where you lead, I will follow

Bella

I weighed my options carefully. In the end, it was too important to find out if Carlisle had heard back from Tanya about whether Jacob and Nessie could spent the weekend at the Denalis´ place, I had to disturb them. Edward sensed my tension and offered to come with me: "What do you think you could possible see in the office? I bet they are reading or discussion medical stuff. Or they might be talking about us and that would already be a worst case scenario. Get real, Bella!" "Yeah", I sighed, "you're right" and lightly knocked my pale fingers to the immense wooden door before entering. I let my view stroll over the large room until I found them.

My best friend and father-in-law lingered on the leather sofa, side by side. Tessa was in a pair of work-out pants and a plain blue tee, Carlisle wore jeans and one of his classy polos. I couldn't help but think how good they looked together. Both watched silently as Edward and I came closer. There was something about the scene that seemed odd. The undertone in my husband's voice told me that he felt it too: "Sorry to disturb you two, but we need to know if you got a hold of Tanya, Carlisle?" The founder of our family smiled widely and answered in an apparently excellent mood: "Yes, I have. She wanted to ring you up later on to discuss the details. She is thrilled to welcome Nessie and Jacob at their place." "Perfect, that's great news", I busted out and decided that it was a good time to find out about the afternoon plans, "By the way, would you like to watch a movie with us tonight? Rose and Alice suggested to do something as a family now and then. And now that Tessa is here, we would all like to hang out with her, right?" Carlisle's answer came quick and determined, I was more than surprised: "Sounds good. I'm in." And when Tessa explained that she liked the idea, too, the plan was set in stone. Our new family member took a look at her watch and cried out: "Oh my, it's past five already… I have to get ready for my meeting with the students from my French class. They wanted to get the list of the required books earlier. Is it ok for you to start the Cullen movie night around eight-thirty when I return?" Edward and I nodded simultaneously. "That's a good time, I think", my gorgeous seat-neighbour explained, "Rose, Emmett and Jasper are hunting anyways and won't be home much earlier. Take your time, we won't start without you." "Alright", Tessa smiled wearily, "I'll jump into the shower and then will be gone for a while."

As if it were some kind of a secret word, Carlisle suddenly wrapped his strong arms around my friend's shoulders and pulled her to his chest. When she returned his embrace, he planted a kiss on the prim or her head and said: "I'll see you later. Drive carefully!" "Sure, don't worry", the witch tried to calm the vampire, "See you."

Edward started laughing: "Let go, Carlisle. She will be back in just a few hours, you know!" His adopted father quickly jumped up, gave him a decent smack and threatened: "Don't forget that I'm a doctor, son! I can always make your death look like an accident!"

Edward and I were still grinning when we came back downstairs. We sat down at the kitchen table next to Alice who was busy looking through fashion magazines to pick up some new ideas. "So?", my favourite sister-in-law asked nonchalantly, "What's on for tonight?" "Well", Edward teased his sister by pausing unnecessarily long, "our doctors are free to join us tonight. But something tells me that they won't be too interested in the movie after all." Alice did not look up from the colourful pages but the hint of annoyance in her voice gave her away: "Oooohhh…. What were they up to? I hope you didn't interrupt anything!!!"

I rolled my eyes and let Alice in on the story: "They were just reading, Alice. But still…" I tried to catch Edward's eyes before I went on: "Despite the fact, I am for whatever reason still thinking that we have actually disturbed something…" My sister-in-law was not about to drop the subject that easily. "Geez, Bella", she mocked, "just tell me what you saw!" Edward hit the nail on the head before I could respond: "Alice, seriously: When did Carlisle hug someone the last time let alone kiss their hair and tell them to be safe?"

Tessa

The stinging hot shower revived me and after having put on some light make-up and forcing my unruly hair into a high ponytail, I chose a dark blue jeans and brown blouse to wear to my informal introduction to my future students. Since the neckline was too low for my taste, I found myself a matching spaghetti strap top to wear underneath. My favourite golden high-heel sandals completed the language-course outfit. The door to Carlisle's study was wide open when I hurried past but stopped when I noticed him talking on his cell just around the corner. His perfect lips instantly formed one of the charm-smiles that had never failed their purpose with me. I blew the handsome vampire a kiss and wanted to leave but Carlisle had different plans.

I couldn't hold back a little scream when he rushed up to me with vampire speed, grabbed my waist and pulled me to his stone hard muscular body. I let my hand run up and down his back along his spine and when he threw his head back with closed eyes, still listening to the person on the phone or at least pretending to do so – my longing got the better of me. I went on my tiptoes, pressed myself even closer to him and let my lips run from his chiselled jaw right down his throat to where the first button of his shirt sat on his chest. I was rewarded with the sweetest sound ever – Carlisle's deep moan. The situation was on the edge. I cannot tell if I was thankful or upset, but the counterpart in the telephone conversation increased the volume of his voice and I sensed dilemma. We pulled apart, both shivering from the loss of contact and I took the chance to leave. Even when I reached the university parking lot half an hour later, I was still lost in thoughts.

From the first time I saw him, I knew Carlisle would be trouble for me. I definitely expected him to turn me down because he weren't the slightest bit interested and the mere thought had already hurt me the first night I spent at Forks, but now that I more and more realized that he had feelings for me as well, things had not gotten easier.

Just when my hand reached out for the car door, the "Friends"-jingle that was my short message tone started off.

_Wow, that was a remarkable goodbye! _

_Can't wait for the movie night in the dark._

_I'll reserve the back row seats._

_And have a surprise for you._

_Not only chocolate, but just as sweet._

_xxx_

I sank back into the driver´s seat, my heart beating frantically. Carlisle was driving me insane. The mere thought of the possibilities that a dark corner of the Cullen living-room offered and the knowledge that he had something planned for me let my nipples erect and the moisture spread from my hot core. Our playful flirting had turned me on from the beginning and the way Carlisle reacted to my messages and statements when we were together displayed his most positive excitement as well. My answer was supposed to show my appreciation on one hand but not sound desperate or clingy.

_Sounds good, Dr. Cullen! _

_I trust your strong arms to provide me _

_with the required warmth and attention that _

_complete a family-night-in._

_And thank you for the letter and the rose._

_Just for the record: I didn't want to go. _

_Tessa_

The anticipation ruled my thoughts all through the briefing. I kept dropping things and had to leave Sue without a decent explanation when she asked me if I wanted to join her for a cup of coffee at the local diner. All I could think of was to get back to my gorgeous vampire dad as quickly as possible, especially after having received the following text:

_Another hour, Tessa and I miss you so much._

_All you have to do is decide if you want what I can give._

_Carlisle_

When I entered the house, everyone had already gathered in the living room. Bella and Edward were laying on the large 3 seater directly facing the huge plasma flat screen TV, Rose and Emmett had made themselves a home on the floor in between hills of pillows and blankets while Alice and Jasper had chosen the 2-seater on the way to the kitchen. I gasped when I realized that Carlisle had lived up to his promise. His long legs covered the entire length of the remaining 3 seater beside the large window front in the farthest corner of the room. The clue was that without turning away from the TV, no one would be able to see us. What was he up to?

Bella greeted me cheerfully while I still considered my options regarding getting to sit with Carlisle: "Hey Tessa, how was your meeting? How are the students?" "Good, thanks. Yes, they seem nice enough", I replied, and finally locked Carlisle's eyes in mine. He flashed me bright smile, displaying his playful mood. "What are we watching anyways?" Alice rolled her dark green eyes and explained to me: "Since it was the guys´ turn to choose, it's one of those never changing action flicks and in case we haven't all gotten bored to death after that, I have a chance to get us a Disney." I placed my bag on the kitchen bench and took of my sandals. When I joined the rest in the living room, the head of the family raised his hand, holding a bar of my favourite chocolate. His voice was nonchalantly but still got to me: "Want some of that?"

"Wow", Jasper mused, "are you trying to seduce Tessa with chocolate? I thought I was the only one who needed incentives like that…" His adopted father gathered some papers from the shelf beside him, crumbled them up and swiftly threw it at Jasper, hitting him right on the back of his head. The whole family cracked up. I switched off the lights, strolled over to Carlisle's designated spot, taking the treat from his hand and laughed: "Lead me not into temptation, I can find the way myself!" His remarkable eyes were filled with longing and reflected my own emotions. Carlisle politely offered me his hand. Placing my trembling fingers in his, I noticed that it was not only the physical attraction that drew us together. Our connection had grown stronger and with every touch and every look, he made me fall a little deeper for him. Without any objection, I followed Carlisle's lead and soon sat between him and the back of the sofa, our feet pointing at the TV screen. He had made me cross my legs over his own so I could have a better view and also use the back of the sofa to lean on. The man of my dreams had rolled the short back on the seating into a thick, warm blanket that could now be used as a pillow and made it possible for us to still see the movie, laying on our backs if we wanted to. As much as I wanted to close the distance between us, it was no option to make all too obvious what he mostly likely saw anyways: I wanted nothing more than him.

Carlisle leaned over and tucked a streak of my hair that had fallen out of the ponytail back behind my ear. "I'm so glad to have you back", he whispered, carefully making sure that the others did not get suspicious. "I was dangerously close to skipping", I admitted and added, "I hope my earlier goodbye wasn't too much out of place." "Don't be ridiculous", he breathed into my ear and made my nerve endings tingle, "In fact, I liked it a little bit too much." I felt blood rush into my cheeks but it seemed Carlisle didn't mind. His smile was even a little on the smug side, he obviously enjoyed seeing me reacting like that. Much to my surprise, when I placed my hand on his chest, it was for him to shudder slightly. I gave him a serious look and stated: "You do know that I counted the minutes until I'd be back, don't you? And I simply wanted to make sure you know that this is only because of you!"

We both got lost in each other's eyes and spent a long while exchanging meaningful smiles and deep gazes. Carlisle finally closed the distance between our faces. As he leaned towards me in slow motion, I thought my heart would jump right out of my chest. The anticipation was torturing me. When his very kissable lips almost touched my ear, he whispered: "Close your eyes for me, will you?" I did as I was asked and was close to fainting when I felt his marble cool lips behind my ear. My entire body was on fire and I involuntarily started to shiver from head to toe. The gorgeous vampire's question made my heart jump. "May I offer you my manly chest to rest your tired head on?", he asked sheepishly and invitingly opened his arms. I silently cuddled up into his chest, touching my cheek to his collarbone. I sighed heavily, worshipping the moment. Carlisle's arm was tight around my shoulders. His free hand went in and out of my hair a few times before the strong vampire used only his fingertips to caress my face. The darkness around us made his touch so much more intense, I was not sure about how long I would be able to take that tension. I opened my eyes to his flawless face and attempted to put all I felt for him into the smile that spread on my face just for him. His eyes lit up and even though there was no source of light beside the TV screen, I could see that what he had texted earlier was true. Carlisle really wanted to make me happy. I adjusted my body without breaking the gaze and made sure to be close enough to his ear to be able to whisper: "There's something I want you to know." "What would that be?", he asked quietly and gently brushed his fingers over my cheek. I worked up all my courage and finally said it out loud. "There is no place I'd rather be than held in your arms. If that were all I could get, I would not trade the feeling for anything." Carlisle swallowed hard and then smiled – smiled like I've never seen him smile before. There was so much affection in his eyes when he leaned his forehead to mine like before and whispered with a trembling voice: "You never have to be alone again, Tess. I promise." The brief moment our eyes met marked the beginning of something beautiful.

Before the dazzling vampire could distract me, I pulled the black blanket over our bodies, held my breath, waited for any possible reaction from the rest and finally let my head sink down. In order to put some memorable emphasize on my words, my lips searched for his neck and when I planted a row of tiny butterfly kisses on the sensitive region around his bite-mark, Carlisle panted for air and pulled me even tighter to his perfectly sculpted marble body. From the look on his fine face, I could tell that he was torn between the wish to continue what I had just started and the need to hold me back because we would both not be able to stop once that invisible barrier was crossed.

I felt bad about being such a tease and therefore, let my head sink to his chest, cuddling up tightly. Carlisle's large hands soon met on my back and he slit one of his legs between mine, making me lay half on top of him. The closeness caused an amazing feeling of belonging deep inside of me and I was not the only one who had thoughts like that. His deep voice was warmed with true care: "I could hold you like that forever. It feels incredibly right, doesn't it?" "Yes, absolutely", I agreed quietly. "Too bad the nosy bunch is so observant", Carlisle mused and he had me gasp when his hand slowly moved down my back, over the hen of my jeans and suddenly squeezed my butt, "but this has to be allowed…" "I swear I'll get you back", I threatened threw my teeth, frantically trying to stop my body from getting into a naughty mode. "You go ahead", my heartthrob teased with an exceptional smile playing around his lips, "but be sure that I'm gonna make every second special and magic for us."

I sighed in defeat and made myself comfortable on Carlisle's broad chest. The movie was almost over and I hoped to catch on a least the most important parts of the plot, just in case someone asked me later.

Carlisle

"Oh my God", Alice yelped excitedly, still trying to keep her voice low, "now look at that. I can't believe she really fell asleep like that." Now all the kids lazily turned their heads towards us and I caught Rosalie's eye. She smiled in approval and whispered from her bed of blankets and cushions on the floor: "Tessa must trust you a lot. That's incredible, Carlisle." I nodded silently, looking at the beauty who carelessly rested in my arms, tightly cuddled up to my chest. "I'll take her upstairs", I stated and carefully removed the blanket from Tessa's lovely body and got up from the comfortable sofa. Her breath was still as steady when I headed towards the stairway. Rose followed closely and addressed me in an almost timid voice: "Carlisle?" "Yes, Rosalie, what is it?" "I just wanted to let you know that I think it's awesome that the two of you got so close." The blonde´s sentence got interrupted by a movement in my arms. Tessa dug her nose into my shirt and struggled to get closer. I tightened my embrace. "She apparently likes you a lot", Rosalie pointed out. Since I did not want my daughter to believe that the feelings were only on Tessa's side, I touched my lips to the sleeping lady´s forehead before I answered: "Thanks. Your approval means a lot to me." Rosalie turned to walk away but then changed her mind. She looked over her shoulder and spoke up again: "I can't even tell you how glad I am to see you happy again. I know you´ve been suffering but I didn't know what to do. Tessa's perfect for you. I hope everything will work out fine." That sure was a surprise. I had expected everyone but Rosalie to notice that I have had rough times but once again, she had revealed the other side of the usually rather self-centred character of hers. "I'm quite positive that we´ll be ok, Rose", I tried to assure her. My daughter nodded: "Great. Good night." "Good night."


End file.
